Jacobs doesn't so much travel across the length and breadth of Spain, as strip mine it. He visits (in many cases revisits) places that figured at some time in the history of just about every figure of note (real or imagined) in Spanish literature. In the process he is immersed (courtesy of old friends and his dogged pursuit of monuments and memories) in the local culture of hundreds of town and cities which he goes on to describe with an eye that is both sympathetic and critical. There is a serviceable index included, which is handy when you want to put your finger once more onto the reference to Graham Greene or Mussolini's sister. This wouldn't figure high on the list of recommended guides to your casual visitor to Spain; but if you have a literary bent and are travelling in that direction it would work very well for you. It is a creditable guide to Spanish (and Gallician and Catalan and ...) culture and issues in the 1990's, and an interesting follow-up and reflection on the Spanish writings of Gerald Brennan or Laurie Lee. ( )

Spain > Description and travel/Jacobs, Michael, 1952- > Travel > Spain